05.018
śalya uvāca॥
Shalya spoke:
tataḥ śakraḥ stūyamāno gandharvāpsarasāṃ gaṇaiḥ। airāvataṃ samāruhya dvipendraṃ lakṣaṇairyutam ॥5-18-1॥
Then Indra, praised by the celestial musicians and dancers, mounted Airavata, the king of elephants, which was adorned with auspicious signs.
pāvakaśca mahātejā maharṣiśca bṛhaspatiḥ। yamaśca varuṇaścaiva kuberaśca dhaneśvaraḥ ॥5-18-2॥
Fire, the greatly radiant one, the great sage Bṛhaspati, Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, and the lord of wealth are all mentioned here.
sarvairdevaiḥ parivṛtaḥ śakro vṛtraniṣūdanaḥ। gandharvairapsarobhiśca yātastribhuvanaṃ prabhuḥ ॥5-18-3॥
Indra, the mighty lord and slayer of Vritra, accompanied by all the gods, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, has traversed the three worlds.
sa sametya mahendrāṇyā devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ। mudā paramayā yuktaḥ pālayāmāsa devarāṭ ॥5-18-4॥
Indra, the king of gods, after meeting with Mahendra's wife, joyfully took on the responsibility of protecting the kingdom.
tataḥ sa bhagavāṃstatra aṅgirāḥ samadṛśyata। atharvavedamantraiśca devendraṃ samapūjayat ॥5-18-5॥
Then, the revered sage Angiras appeared there and worshipped Lord Indra with the mantras from the Atharva Veda.
tatastu bhagavānindraḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ samapadyata। varaṃ ca pradadau tasmai atharvāṅgirase tadā ॥5-18-6॥
Then the blessed Indra, being delighted, granted a boon to Atharvangirasa at that time.
atharvāṅgirasaṃ nāma asminvede bhaviṣyati। udāharaṇametaddhi yajñabhāgaṃ ca lapsyase ॥5-18-7॥
In this Veda, known as Atharvaveda, there will be an example, and you will indeed obtain the sacrificial share.
evaṁ sampūjya bhagavān atharvāṅgirasaṁ tadā। vyasarjayan mahārāja devarājaḥ śatakratuḥ ॥5-18-8॥
Thus, O great king, after worshipping the revered Atharvangirasa, the king of gods, Indra, dismissed him.
sampūjya sarvāṃstridaśānṛṣīṃścāpi tapodhanān। indraḥ pramudito rājandharmeṇāpālayatprajāḥ ॥5-18-9॥
After worshipping all the gods, sages, and ascetics, Indra joyfully ruled over the subjects with righteousness, O king.
evaṃ duḥkham anuprāptam indreṇa saha bhāryayā। ajñātavāsaś ca kṛtaḥ śatrūṇāṃ vadhakāṅkṣayā ॥5-18-10॥
Thus, Indra, along with his wife, endured suffering and went into incognito exile with the intention of defeating their enemies.
nātra manyustvayā kāryo yatkliṣṭo'si mahāvane। draupadyā saha rājendra bhrātṛbhiśca mahātmabhiḥ ॥5-18-11॥
O King, do not harbor anger here, as you are enduring hardships in the great forest along with Draupadi and your noble brothers.
evaṃ tvamapi rājendra rājyaṃ prāpsyasi bhārata। vṛtraṃ hatvā yathā prāptaḥ śakraḥ kauravanandana ॥5-18-12॥
Thus, O descendant of Bharata, you too, O joy of the Kauravas, will gain the kingdom, just as Indra did after slaying Vritra.
durācāraśca nahuṣo brahmadviṭpāpacetanaḥ। agastyaśāpābhihato vinaṣṭaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ ॥5-18-13॥
Nahusha, who was of bad conduct and cursed brahmins, was evil-minded and was destroyed by the curse of Agastya for many eternal years.
evaṃ tava durātmānaḥ śatravaḥ śatrusūdana। kṣipraṃ nāśaṃ gamiṣyanti karṇaduryodhanādayaḥ ॥5-18-14॥
Thus, O slayer of enemies, your wicked foes like Karna and Duryodhana will soon meet their end.
tataḥ sāgaraparyantāṃ bhokṣyase medinīmimām। bhrātṛbhiḥ sahito vīra draupadyā ca sahābhibho ॥5-18-15॥
Then, O hero, you shall rule this land extending to the ocean, alongside your brothers and Draupadi, O lord.
upākhyānamidaṃ śakravijayaṃ vedasaṃmitam। rājñā vyūḍheṣvanīkeṣu śrotavyaṃ jayamicchatā ॥5-18-16॥
This tale of Indra's triumph, comparable to the Vedas, should be listened to by the king amidst the organized armies, for those who seek victory.
tasmātsaṃśrāvayāmi tvāṃ vijayaṃ jayatāṃ vara। saṃstūyamānā vardhante mahātmāno yudhiṣṭhira ॥5-18-17॥
Therefore, I announce to you, O Yudhishthira, the best among the victorious. When praised, great souls like you flourish.
kṣatriyāṇāmabhāvo'yaṃ yudhiṣṭhira mahātmanām। duryodhanāparādhena bhīmārjunabalena ca ॥5-18-18॥
O Yudhishthira, the absence of the Kshatriyas, who were great souls, is due to Duryodhana's misdeeds and the might of Bhima and Arjuna.
ākhyānamindravijayaṃ ya idaṃ niyataḥ paṭhet। dhūtapāpmā jitasvargaḥ sa pretyeha ca modate ॥5-18-19॥
Whoever regularly recites the story of Indra's victory becomes free from sin, attains heaven, and rejoices both in this life and the next.
na cārijaṃ bhayaṃ tasya na cāputro bhavennaraḥ। nāpadaṃ prāpnuyātkāñciddīrghamāyuśca vindati ॥ sarvatra jayamāpnoti na kadācitparājayam ॥5-18-20॥
He is free from the fear of enemies and will not be without a son. He will not face any calamity and will enjoy a long life. He will achieve victory everywhere and will never experience defeat.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
evam āśvāsito rājā śalyena bharatarṣabha। pūjayām āsa vidhivacchalyaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ॥5-18-21॥
Thus reassured by Shalya, the king, O best of the Bharatas, duly honored Shalya, the foremost among the upholders of dharma.
śrutvā śalyasya vacanaṃ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। pratyuvāca mahābāhur madrarājam idaṃ vacaḥ ॥5-18-22॥
Upon hearing Śalya's words, Yudhishthira, the mighty-armed son of Kunti, responded to the king of Madra with these words.
bhavān karṇasya sārathyaṃ kariṣyati na saṃśayaḥ। tatra tejovadhaḥ kāryaḥ karṇasya mama saṃstavaiḥ ॥5-18-23॥
You will undoubtedly serve as Karna's charioteer. There, the brilliance of Karna should be diminished by my praises.
śalya uvāca॥
Śalya spoke:
evametat kariṣyāmi yathā māṃ samprabhāṣase। yaccānyadapi śakṣyāmi tatkariṣyāmyahaṃ tava ॥5-18-24॥
I will do exactly as you have spoken to me. Additionally, whatever else I can do, I will do that for you.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana spoke:
tata āmantrya kaunteyāñśalyo madrādhipastadā। jagāma sabalaḥ śrīmānduryodhanamariṃdamaḥ ॥5-18-25॥
Then Shalya, the king of Madra, addressed the sons of Kunti and went with his army to the illustrious Duryodhana, the subduer of enemies.
